The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-04-28

roDDlo IN good numOf, ana AVOID D f1Ot,
which might lead TO the pillage Of his
cellar and the demolition Of his furni.
ture, but began inwardly. to question
the wisdom Of my own choice. How
ever, It was too late to withdraw.
There was the Defiance, majestically
poised above the ground, like vessel
1t but to carry out, rs best might, the
madcap enterprise on which had EN-.
"Come, you had better get into the car
and be ready" said the landlord, still in
an undertone, as he passed me through
the Gordon of police that kept back the
foremost of the spectators. Don't talk,
but II anybody speaks to you wave flag
that does as well. N. de Villeneuve
writes me word he'll not arrive till the
last moment, when we start the fireworks.
As soon as he's beside you, up you 60, re-
member"
Twas now in the rocking, swaying car,
and STOPPING down, ] ascertained that
the bags of ballast, the coil of spare rope,
the flags and telescope were at my feet |;
then I assured myself that the grapnel
was provided with its tough cord, and
then the whizz of q rocket, and de-
scending shower of colored spangles of
fire gave warning note Of preparation.
More rockets now scared aloft, amidst
the huzzas of the crowd, and then,
springing from the driving.seat of q
light open carriage drawn by q gray
horse, there appeared the figure Of q
stout, well-dressed man, who elbowed
his way 80 quickly through the throng
that had scarcely time to conjecture
that this must be the volunteer COM
panion of my aerial voyage, M. Victor
de Villeneuve, before he scrambled into
the car and was at my side.
"Allons, let 60, mes braves r he cried
In sharp, tmperious tone to the men
who held the ropes. "Bas les cordes,
do you hearY'
A voice raised in accents of command
seldom fails of its effect, however ques-
tionable may be the right Of him who up
lifts it, and the men addressed, in their
astonishment, mechanically obeyed. The
balloon rose a little, nothing now re-
straining its upward flight save the trig-
ger-cord, firmly moored to post below,
the spring being in my grasp.
claimed the passenger, with jovial
laugh that had scarcely the ring of honest
mirth in it.
Perhaps M. de villeneuve, for all his
staggering department, was i'll at ease as
to the results of our voyage, and strove
to carry 1t off gayly; such were my
thoughts as the Catherine wheels began
to revolve in cascades of whirling fire,
and the crowd to cheer. 1t was the mo-
ment for our start, but hesitated to pull
the trigger, for now a strange hustle and
confusion below attracted my attention
A mounted gendarme, his sabre and
carbine clanking, had ridden up at the
full gallop of his reeking horse, followed
at a distance by three others, who spurred
furiously forward. There were few
hurried questions, then a smothered out.
cry, a roar of voices, and swaying
backward and forward of the excited
populace.
flooked down at the crowd of up.
| turned faces.
"Stopi stopl Au nom de la loi! Eng
lishman, stayr' cried out the brigadier Of
the foot-polfce.
"Let 60, foolr' thundered the mar
| who sat beside me in the car.
"But it Is the police that began
thinking that M. de Villeneuve had sud
denly taken leave of his senses.
| "Come down! stop-haul the rope =
was the shout from below; but as thu
words reached my ear, my companion
bent forward. Something flashed II
his hand-a dagger-knife-andt the core
was cut, and the balloon darted upward
"In the name of the law-ah! yo,
won'tf cried a gendarme, discharging hi
carbine, an example that was followed b,
his comrades; but the balls whistled idl!
by, while we rose and rose, until the inn
and the gardens, and the shouting crowd
and the spluttering fireworks, had dimin
ished to pigmy size, and presently disap
peared altogether, and the balloon rod
on, solitary, through the fields of air.
"a nous deux, maintenantw said M. d.
Villeneuve, with q chuckle that was in
comprehensive to me. IA singular sa
lutte our friends gave US, eh, when they
bade us bon voyagef"
The moon, half full, had now risen
and could see the face of my compan
ion-the swarthy, keen face of MAJ
forty years of age, with short, dark hair
slightly grizzled, fiery black eyes ant
very white, strong, sharp-pointed teeth
which gave him, when he smiled, some
what the expression of alaughing wolf
He was q man Of powerful frame, snt
the fingers of the gloved hand which HI
now laid upon my arm were as strong
and supple as steel.
"Avow," said this strange passenger
with grin that an ogre might havt
envied, "Avow that you take me for {
queer specimen of the French provincial
gentry, helm? But first, how comes 4
that the pere Killick is absent, and ,
SlancDsS Sl nc. ,,;, Of your age has the honor t.
l told him briefly and In offended tone
what had occurred, and how 1t was tina
he and / found ourselves together so fal
above terra firma, at the same time eau
tioning him not, as he had done before, tt
take IL on himself to interfere with tn,
management of the balloon"
1--WE must now," added, ''look out TO
place to descend, for the wind is fresh
ening, and"
"Let it freshen ~ rudely interrupted
NJ. de Villeneuve. "Sets fair for Spain
does it not?"
"For Spain?" I echoed in surprise
Could this self-coaceited country gentle
man really deem that we were bound OF
such journey as that? could no
help laughing, as l said, why for Spain
monsieur 2"
"Well, Italy would have served M
as well, had the wind been west
erly one. / talk both language
equally, and know every wine-shop il
Cadiz as well as I do those of Genoa,
answered NJ de Villeneuve, again chuck
ling. sHa, lad what are you abou
that you finger that roper
II am opening the valve above" an
| swered, cOldly, "because II is time nov